THE future of a new hotel is in doubt after its owners went into administration. The Holiday Inn on St George s Way, Stevenage, which employs 54 staff, has been taken over by accountancy firm Deloitte after owners Bluebird Holdings appointed it administr

THE future of a new hotel is in doubt after its owners went into administration.

The Holiday Inn on St George's Way, Stevenage, which employs 54 staff, has been taken over by accountancy firm Deloitte after owners Bluebird Holdings appointed it administrators on February 5.

The troubled company, which was threatened with a compulsory purchase order by Stevenage Borough Council during the prolonged conversion of the former Manulife building, had only just opened the franchised hotel in December.

Richard Hawes, joint administrator and partner at Deloitte, said: "We are continuing to trade the business as usual, with Chardon Management managing the day to day activities of the hotel whilst we seek to sell the business as a going concern.

"It is a brand new facility with state of the art features and we are confident that we will find a suitable buyer.